In 1859, the same year the Missouri Botanical Garden opened to the public, Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species, opening the door to a new era of scientific discovery. Since then the Garden has become a world leader in systematics - the study of plants and their evolution.

Plants are essential to sustaining the stability and quality of human life on this planet. At the Missouri Botanical Garden, we have dedicated ourselves to helping conserve biological diversity while there is still something left to protect. Our research provides scientific information essential to decision makers, from conservation and land use to social and environmental policy. We have taken the lead in making information widely accessible via the Internet, maintaining the world's largest botanical database and the premier botanical website, TROPICOS. Garden scientists conduct the most productive and geographically widespread botanical research program in the world.

Exploration

Explore our plant scientists' work here and around the world. Learn more

Collaboration

Learn how partnerships with institutions in host nations are essential to our work. Learn more

Systematics

Go behind the science of organizing plant specimens. Learn more

Botany

Discover the untapped potential of plants and the Garden's role in this process. Learn more

Explore the regions around the world where the Garden maintains a plant research or conservation presence.